ABOUT THIS ALBUM

Album Notes

Tol-Puddle Martyrs.

The Tol-Puddle Martyrs, the second incarnation of Peter & the Silhouettes (Claudette Jones), produced some of the rarest and most sought after recordings from the killer 60s punk period. The Martyrs developed a huge cult following in Central & Northern Victoria with their wild and raucous fuzz guitar/organ drenched material.

Ian McFarlane, renowned Australian rock historian writes". The moody, magnificent 'Time Will Come' is certainly one of the great Aussie psychedelic recordings; an enigmatic, organ drenched trip that still sounds amazing today. And this new version sounds damm fine too".

This interactive CD features 8 tracks, 6 original recordings and two reworkings of the classics, 'Claudette Jones' and 'Time Will Come', featured on the recent album release 'Time Will Come' as recorded by 'The Secrets', Rechter's current brainchild. A web site comprising rare photos, artwork and history of this influential 60s garage band is included in this package, as well as the original 1968 film clip to the Tol Puddle Martyrs, 'Time Will Come'.

A letter from Mike Stax.. Ugly Things Magazine.
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your email and my apologies for the delay in responding.
I am very familiar with the Tol Puddle Martyrs and Peter & the
Silhouettes -- "Claudette Jones" is a killer track! It's good to know
you're still active musically too.
I checked out your site -- nice job on all the content you have up there!
Anyway, if you can send a promo copy of the Tol Puddle Martyrs CD, I'd love
to review it in an upcoming issue of Ugly Things!

Look forward to hearing from you.
All the best,
Mike Stax

Ugly Things Magazine
3707 Fifth Ave #145
San Diego, CA 92103
USA

Tol-Puddle Martyrs Review/Mike Stax.
Ugly Things Mag/ October 2002.
In 1834 six farm workers from Tolpuddle, Dorset were found guilty on trumped-up charges related to their membership in a clandestine trade union.
The judge sentenced them to seven years transportation to Australia, a harsh punishment usually reserved for only the worst, hardened criminals. The case was symbolic of the new struggle of the British working classes for better
wages and conditions, and it soon inspired a groundswell of public sympathy.
The six men became popular heroes, dubbed "The Tolpuddle Martyrs."

One hundred and thirty-two years later, some Australian teenagers decided, "Hey, what a cool name for a band!" And so a new (and hyphenated) Tol-Puddle Martyrs came into being. Previously known as Peter & the Silhouettes they'd already released two songs on a local Victoria compilation LP, The Scene (recently reissued on CD, it was reviewed in Ugly Things #19). With its urgent fuzz guitar riff and stompin' stop-start arrangement, Claudette Jones is an instant grabber (it was comped on It's A Kave In LP and CD), while the
slower, moodier Natural Man is also worth a spin.

Both are on this CD, along with the four great tracks they went on to release in 1967 and 68 under their new, improved and historically conscious name. Their first single, Time Will Come, is a foreboding slab of chug swathed in
eerie organ lines and dramatic fuzz guitar flourishes, while its flipside, Social Cell, has a similar hardboiled throbbing quality that also connects well.

By the time the second Tol-Puddle single rolled around they'd obviously been feasting on the Kinks, especially Face to Face and Something Else, and their mood had brightened considerably. Love Your Life is a pleasant Kinky pop tune, but its completely surpassed by its partner. Nellie Bligh is perhaps the best song Ray Davies never wrote - and maybe the best Ray Davies vocal he never sang to boot; only the Leopards ever came this close to the raw, swaggering delivery of the originals.

Eight songs may seem short for a CD, but there's lots more on this enhanced disc, including a deadly cool vintage promo of Time Will Come and a selection of photos from Peter's 60's scrapbook.

TOL-PUDDLE MARTYRS "Tol-Puddle Martyrs" THE SECRETS "Time Will Come" Secret Deals/import The Australian 60's haven't achieved quite the same reputation as the British and American counterparts. It's a pity since the Australian blend of the Brits' experimantal psych and the American raw sounding garage rock often were just as good - if not better! - than the originals. Many bands made not more than a couple of singles, among them Peter and the Silhouettes and Tol-Puddle Martyrs. Their small but great output of three seven inches is now collected on the mini album simply entitled 'Tol-Puddle Martyrs'. The link between these bands together is Peter Rechter who also wrote nuggets like 'Claudette Jones' and 'Time Will Come'. The latter in particular is a killer and a perfect example of rough and hard hitting garage pop. The album concludes with new recordings of these two tracks, culled from the debut album from Rechter's current band, the Secrets. The sound is of course modernized but a good song is a good song, and both 'Claudette Jones' and 'Time Will Come' are the highlights of the Secrets' debut. A debut characterized by catchy, enthusiastic pop with a light 80's touch. There's plenty of hooks and you can sense a great commercial potential. Pity if the lack of decent distribution would get in the way. (Order from : www.secretdeals.com.au) Peter Sjoblom soundmind@comhem.se

TOL-PUDDLE MARTYRS
Tol-Puddle Martyrs (Secret Deal CD)
Nothing to do with the early inspiration for UK trade unions and certainly not from Tolpuddle in Dorset, but from Bendigo, Australia!
Starting life in 1964 as Peter & The Silhouettes, the band were one of many teenage Oz acts that pounded the local dance halls all across Victoria. In late 1965, the group was asked by local dancehall promoters to record two original tracks, 'Claudette Jones' and 'Natural Man' for a compilation album entitled The Scene from Northern Victoria (available now on CD from rock historian Chris Spencer at moonlight@impulse.net.au). 'Claudette Jones' is a classic Pretty Things/Primitives style fuzzed up garage thumper about a woman who gives the singer cars and money and “drives a big black Cadillac/coloured TV in the back!” Young, loud and snotty. The B-side of this first single, 'Natural Man', is a slow 'House Of The Rising Sun' groove about not wanting to be a “hard working man like my dad.”
By 1966, the band needed a name change to keep up with the changing times: Band member Peter Rechter explains in the liners that when he studied British history and the Tol-Puddle Martyrs were one of the subjects he had to study. Guitarist Kevin Clancy thought we should hyphenate Tolpuddle. Why not? The band recorded two Peter Rechter originals, 'Time Will Come' and 'Social Cell' for their then manager's own Spiral label in 1967. The single reached number six on the top 40 Central Victoria charts. 'Time Will Come' is a haunting and psychedelia-drenched social commentary number with an eerie Farfisa organ backing. 'Social Cell' is more of an angst-ridden protest number with a 'You're A Better Man than I' inspired feel. The 1968 single 'Love Your Life” is poppy and less in the garage style of the previous single while the far more interesting flip side, 'Nellie Bligh' demonstrates a 'Sunny Afternoon' vibe. The Martyrs recorded two more tracks in 1969 that were never released and have yet to be located. As the decade ended, so did the Tol-Puddle Martyrs.
The only downside to the CD is that it is all over far too soon and you are left wishing there was more. Filling out what is essentially an EP are surprisingly interesting updated versions (I know, I know) of 'Claudette Jones' and 'Time Will Tell'. However, the CD is interactive and contains the band's complete web site the only surviving film clip of the Martyrs.
http://www.secretdeals.com.au/SecretHome1.html
Mark A Johnston

I recently read about this song and this band, the Tol-Puddle Martyrs, in David Johnston's excellent book 'The Music Goes Round My Head'. It was cited as "the best song Ray Davies never wrote", which immediately got me interested. Had to have a listen, and it's damn good, very Kink-y, especially referencing Sunny Afternoon. Not sure about it being the best song Ray never wrote, but definitely worth hearing for any Kinks fan. I can't believe this album is available, and that CDBaby have so many of their other albums. When time and money permits I'd like to explore all this stuff. But for now, well done Martyrs, and well done CD Baby!

Australia gave birth to loads of great bands during the sixties, but the reason why so much of the rest of the world wasn't introduced to their charms was because their records simply didn't receive widespread promotion and distribution. However, thanks to reissues and the Internet, a lot of these criminally overlooked bands are now getting the attention and acclaim they deserve. Although their music may not be played on the radio and the majority of acts are of course no longer active, at least their work is readily available to those who appreciate and collect such sounds. Which brings us to Tol-Puddle Martyrs . . .

Starting out life as Peter and the Silhouttes, these happening cats kicked off their career in 1965 and a year later they unveiled a single called "Claudette Jones," which can be heard on "Tol-Puddle Martyrs." An aggressive rocker sporting a deadly vocal and a hook to slit your wrists for, "Claudette Jones" reminds me of a prime Pretty Things pounder, due to its insistently driving beat and hard-edged bluesy approach. When Peter and the Silhouttes changed their name to Tol-Puddle Martyrs, they also altered their style a bit, spicing their material with a groovy paisley fragrance. Released in 1967, "Time Will Come" features a round of cynical lyrics addressing the turbulent mood of the day and carries a rather haunting pitch that slashes right through your psyche. The vocal delivery on the tune is strong and convincing, while the taut instrumentation really locks it all together. The flip side of "Time Will Come" is just as effective. "Social Cell" boasts a catchy melody similar to Johnny Rivers' "Secret Agent Man," and like "Time Will Come," the tune is charted of thoughtful verse that finely captures band leader Peter Rechter's flair for writing top-flight observations. It should also be noted that Tol-Puddle Martyrs were a fantastic pop band. Their music does indeed flash plenty of commercial appeal, making the tracks on the CD the kind of stuff you won't soon forget. Forever lodged in your brain these songs will be! The band's pop influence is especially evident on a single they issued in 1968, as the whimsical "Love Your Life" flickers with dapper Kinks aspirations. Smart arrangements and a sincere passion for the music, they performed are additional assets to be found in the recordings of Tol-Puddle Martyrs. Totally excellent tunes fromyet another totally excellent sixties band from Australia! . . . . . . . .

Session Expiration Warning

Session Expiration

We need to talk.

The web browser you're using to surf the web is so old it’s embarrassing. But hey, we hope you consider us a friend, the kind of friend you can count on to tell you when there's spinach stuck between your teeth. So here it goes: every time you surf the web with that antiquated web browser it’s like you have spinach in your teeth. Every time you get online, spinach!

Look, we don't want you to be the butt of any more jokes when the sites you visit don't load or function properly. So please - for your own sake - click on one of the links for your preferred browser below, and get that spinach out of your teeth for good.